Agents - good or bad?

[Bell Bird]

I'm sure anyone that scours the ESL job boards, notices that there are probably more postings by agents than there are by schools directly. Furthermore, some countries are more prominant with agents than other countries.

Take Taiwan for example. I feel this country has the most agents than any other country. Japan on the otherhand has very few agents. Why do they vary so much from country to country? It's something I really can't explain. I mean, essentially the teaching jobs and pay are similar. The demand is also similar. But why does Taiwan have so many agents??

Another thing, do we really need agents? Do they do more harm than good? Would my salary be so different if I went directly to the school? I wonder at times.

I've heard good news about agents and also bad news. I've also heard good news about schools and also bad news.

What do we do? And do we really need agents?

[Antonio]

No, you don't really need agents. HOWEVER, with them it can make your life easier. Reputable agents don't ask for upfront fees nor do they deduct from your salary.

Agents get paid directly from the school. So if you choose to go with an agent or solo, your salary should still be the same.

Of course, there are shady agents out there that will deduct more than they are entitled to. And it's these agents you should be aware of.

[nelsonr]

Like Antonio said, there is nothing wrong using an agent as long as it's a reputable one that adheres to certain standards.

I think there are fewer outlets (eg. press, magazines etc.) which Taiwan has in order to find teachers, hence the schools need to rely more on agents. In Japan, it's so much easier for a school to find a teacher thru classifieds etc. That's my thinking anyway.

In Indonesia, it's quite possible to find a job directly with the school.

[Jason]

For what it's worth, I think agents try their best for us. Whether we go directly to a school or not, I'm pretty sure our salary will still be the same.

[Hypiereon]

OK, how to put this . . . NO. Do not use agents or recruiters. You just don't need them. REALLY you don't. You think you do because of your own lack of confidence and your ignorance of the country. You think they know more than you do, and the insecurity you feel thinking that you're going to screw up makes the soft blanket of a recruiter or agent a very comforting and attractive prospect, but you just don't have to go that way. There is a better way.

Now, my info is strictly limited - ChengDu, China to be exact, but I think the general idea is the same if you will refer to my 5 Part post you can find in the Teaching and Living in China Forum. It details how you can get into a country and find the best deals for yourself without using a recruiter, and do so with the knowledge and confidence you were able to get the best deal possible.

Only go with a recruiter if they a VERY reputable, and you REALLY want someone else to do all the work for you. In the end, they are a middle man you can seriously do without. If you were working in Hollywood, get an agent - EFL Job Searching and you don't need them. You can do most of the work if you know your way around a keyboard and know how to search the web. If nothing else, there are people here that can help you get the information you seek and can point you in right directions and even point out specific websites.

Use the power of the web to your advantage. Before you get judgmental, read the 5 Part post then let me know what you think.

[Jason]

I have known teachers who have sourced their own jobs direct without going through an agent, and their pay was the exact same as if going via an agent. The agent was being paid direct from the school, rather than dedecting from the teacher's wage.

But then, I was in a situation where I went to Japan a few years back via an agent called ID Personnel in Sydney.

The setup was ME - AGENT IN SYDNEY - AGENT IN JAPAN - SCHOOL.

I got paid a lousy 195,000 yen in Shizuoka, whereas the other teachers got paid 260,000 yen. So I had 2 lots of agents using me. As a result, I then left after 3 months and found my own teaching work in Tokyo.

So you see, there are good agents and there are bad agents. Checkout the Blacklists and ask to speak to other teachers that have been placed with that agency.

NEVER accept a teaching job where your wages are lower than other teachers due to the fact you went thru an agent.